Chapter Hundred And Five
Chapter Hundred And Five
Arian
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Not to be entered lightly, holy matrimony was meant to be entered solemnly, with reverence and honor,” the priest began in Italian, his voice calm and resonant against the old stone walls of the church.
As the words echoed through the church, I felt my heart thud heavily in my chest. This was really happening. I was standing at the altar again, only this time… it didn’t feel like a trap. It felt like peace.
“Into this holy agreement, these two persons come together to be joined. If any person or people here can show cause as to why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”
Gabriel and I turned at the same time to look behind us, and for a fleeting second, I worried—irrationally—that someone would stand up. That someone might try to tear this away from me like happiness always had in the past. But no one spoke. The silence was both sacred and freeing.
Most of the guests probably didn’t understand what the priest was saying, but that didn’t matter. My heart understood everything.
“Do you, Gabriel Emerson Cruz, take Arian Katerina Macavinta to be your lawful wedded wife and live together in the estate of holy matrimony? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?” the priest asked him.
“I do,” Gabriel replied, his voice loud and clear through the microphone attached to his jacket.
That sound—his voice, steady and sure—made something inside me tremble. I had never heard a man say “I do” with such conviction, and certainly not for me.
Then the priest turned to me. “Do you, Arian Katerina Macavinta, take Gabriel Cruz to be your lawful wedded husband and live together in the estate of holy matrimony? Do you promise to love, comfort, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do,” I answered softly, but my heart screamed the words louder than my lips ever could.
“Say your vows,” the priest instructed.
Gabriel turned to face me and took my trembling hands in his. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and seeing that broke the wall I’d tried so hard to build around my emotions. I felt tears prick at my own eyes.
If anyone had told me eleven years ago that I’d stand here again, smiling through tears in a wedding dress, I would have laughed bitterly in their face. Back then, marriage had meant chains—sacrifice, loss, heartbreak. I’d sworn I’d never walk this road again.
But then, I hadn’t met him.
Gabriel Cruz turned my world upside down and right side up again. He showed me that love didn’t have to be something to fear. He gave me back my laughter. He gave me Kary, his daughter, who had unknowingly become a piece of my soul.
And even when I’d run away—when I’d left him at his lowest—he’d kept his heart open for me. Who does that? Who forgives that easily? Only a man like Gabriel.
I didn’t deserve him… but God, I was grateful for him.
“Arian,” he breathed, his voice trembling slightly, “meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control. You’re not a one-in-a-million kind of girl. You’re a once-in-a-lifetime kind of woman. I loved you then, even before we met for the second time. I loved you after we met, and I love you still. Always have, always will.”
My tears fell freely now. The sincerity in his words was overwhelming. How did I ever think I could live without this man? Without this kind of love?
When it was my turn, I took a deep breath and began.
“Gabriel,” I said, my voice shaking. “Today I say, ‘I do,’ but to me, it means ‘I will.’ I will take your hand and stand by your side through the good and bad times. I dedicate myself to your happiness, your success, and your smile. I promise to be your honest, faithful, and loving wife for the rest of my days. I pledge to honor you, love you, and cherish you as my husband today and every day. I will love you forever and always.”
He smiled, and in that smile, I saw our future—messy, imperfect, but real.
“The rings,” the priest said.
Gabriel’s nephew, Giulio, brought the rings forward. Gabriel took one from the pillow and reached for my left hand, waiting for the priest’s next words.
“The wedding ring is an unbroken symbol of the everlasting love and commitment between man and wife,” the priest said solemnly, then turned to Gabriel. “Repeat after me: With this ring I thee wed…”
“With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all the treasures of my heart, mind, and body,” Gabriel said, slipping the ring onto my finger.
My hand shook slightly as I took his ring and repeated the same words. My voice wavered midway, but I pushed through, slipping the band onto his finger.
It felt final. Sacred. Whole.
“What God has joined together, let no man put asunder. By the power vested in me by God, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Gabriel let out a small, audible sigh of relief—as if he, too, had been holding his breath all along. Then he lifted my veil, cupped my face, and kissed me deeply.
The applause and whistling that followed erupted through the church like music. I barely heard it. All I could feel was him.
We were finally married. He was my husband, and I was his wife. I still couldn’t quite believe it.
Maybe I never would.
“I love you,” Gabriel whispered when he finally pulled away, his breath warm against my lips.
“I love you,” I replied, smiling through my tears.
And as the crowd continued to cheer, I thought to myself—Maybe this was how it felt when broken hearts finally found their home again.
\~~~~~~
Gabriel and I had our first dance as man and wife, and for a moment, everything else blurred into the background. The lights, the music, the chatter of guests—it all faded into a single heartbeat that belonged to the two of us. When I looked into his eyes, I saw my forever reflected back at me.
After our dance, I’d shared a slow waltz with his father and then with Uncle Carlos, both men wearing proud smiles that warmed my heart. Giulio gave his best man’s speech next, his words equal parts touching and mischievous, while Diane—my brilliant lawyer friend—delivered a maid of honor speech that made me laugh and cry in equal measure.
When it was time to throw the bouquet, I had tossed it over my shoulder without looking, hearing the squeals and laughter behind me. Diane caught it, her grin triumphant. Then Giulio caught the garter but immediately flung it to his mother’s brother as though it were diseased, and we’d all burst into laughter.
It had been a perfect night—almost too perfect. The kind of happiness that made me nervous, as though fate might decide I’d had enough joy for one lifetime.
Soon after, Gabriel decided it was time for us to leave. Aunt Layla ushered me toward my suite so I could change into my travel clothes. My heart was light, my mind buzzing with excitement for our honeymoon—until we entered the room and found Gabriella standing at the foot of the bed, staring down at my outfit as though she’d been lost in thought.
“What are you doing here, Gabi?” her aunt asked, her tone cautious.
“I’m here to see Arian. Is it okay if I speak with her for a few minutes?”
“Just five minutes,” Aunt Layla said firmly. “Her husband is impatient to get out of here.” Then she slipped out, closing the door behind her.
Gabi lifted her gaze to mine and smiled faintly. “Hi. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, unsure of where this was going. “Does Gabriel know you’re here?”
“No. I just wanted to talk to you,” she said softly. “I came here to apologize.”
My chest tightened. I hadn’t expected that. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. You wanted what was best for your brother. I would have done the same if I were in your shoes.” I hesitated, gathering courage. “Can I… ask you for a favor?”
“Sure.” She nodded, though curiosity flickered in her eyes.
I closed the small distance between us, surprised by how nervous I suddenly felt. Then, almost instinctively, I took her hand in mine. She looked down at our joined hands, then back up at me, startled.
She was my sister-in-law now—family. I wanted her to see me as more than the woman who had married her brother. I wanted her to like me—not just for me, but for him.
“Can you give me a chance to show you who I really am?” I asked, my voice trembling. “I know you think I’m a psychopath of some sort because I lived with one for ten years…”
Before I could finish, the door burst open.
Gabriel stormed in, eyes blazing, scanning me from head to toe as though searching for signs of harm. When he saw none, his gaze dropped to our joined hands, confusion darkening his features.
“What’s going on here?” he demanded, his tone sharp as a blade. “Have you come to harass my wife again?” He pulled me protectively to his side.
“Calm down, Gabriel,” I said quickly. “She came here to apologize.”
“Don’t believe anything that comes out of her mouth,” he hissed. “That’s what she did two years ago, then stabbed me in the back anyway.” He stepped forward, blocking my view of his sister. “Stay the hell away from me and my wife.”
“Gabriel! She’s your twin sister!” I scolded, shocked at the venom in his tone.
“She’s dead to me,” he growled. “Get out of here.”
My heart twisted. The tension between them was suffocating, thick with pain neither of them wanted to name. As Gabi turned to leave, I reached out and caught her forearm. “Wait! I want this animosity between you two to end today.” I turned to Gabriel, meeting his glare with quiet defiance. “You’re twins. You share the same DNA. Don’t treat her like she means nothing to you.”
He stared at me, disbelief flickering across his face. “Are you serious right now? How can you forgive her after everything she did to you?”
“Because she did what I would have done if I were in her place,” I said softly. “Now, kiss and make up—or we’re not going anywhere.” I plopped down on the sofa, folding my arms stubbornly.